The Clumber Methodist Church forms part of the Port Alfred, Eastern Cape circuit.

The siting of the Clumber Church was central to the Nottingham Party of 1820, the area where this Party from Nottinghamshire, England, settled. They formed a part of some 3800 persons, known as the 1820 Settlers, the majority of whom settled in the area between what is now known as Port Elizabeth and the Great Fish River, the Eastern border of the Cape Colony; a region known as the Zuurveld.

The Clumber Church stands atop a knoll, named Mount Mercy by the Nottingham Party . They held a Service of Thanksgiving here on their arrival in 1820 after a journey of nearly 7 months to the Cape Colony. It is the third Church the 1820 Settlers  and their descendants built at this spot, and was opened on 10 November 1867. Still in use today with a Service held on the fourth Sunday of the month at 11h00, the Clumber Church faces difficult times due to the depopulation of the countryside. Once a thriving social gathering place, it boasted a school, teachers' home, manse, a hall used for social occasions as well as Sunday School teaching, a cricket field, tennis courts and clubhouse. Now all that remains is the Church opened in 1867, and the school building; dating from 1905. Both the School and the Church were declared National Monuments on 23 November 1980.

The existing Clumber Church of 1867 was preceded by two Churches, all built on Mount Mercy.

The first was built in 1825, a mere 5 years after the arrival of the Nottingham Party, an astonishing achievement considering that this Party from Nottinghamshire were poverty stricken. This Church was entered, and damaged, by the invaders in the Sixth Frontier War when the entire area was evacuated.

The second was built in 1837 and endured depredations during 2 Frontier Wars. In the Eighth Frontier War the Church was used as a Command Station instead of evacuating the area as was the case in The Sixth Frontier War.

 Mount Mercy

Mount Mercy is a small hill situated in a valley between Bathurst and Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape. This knoll has been central to the Nottingham Party of 1820 Settlers and the subsequent Clumber Community as a place of gathering, schooling and worship. And it was here, at the foot of Mount Mercy, on July 25 1820, that the Nottingham Party offloaded their belongings from the wagons and carts that had transported them on their journey from Algoa Bay. The last leg of their long journey which had seen them leave Nottingham and board the vessel Albury in Liverpool in mid January 1820. Their final destination in a land which for them meant new beginnings. 

The Clumber Church is situated on the crown of Mount Mercy, so called by the Nottingham Party of 1820 Settlers because of their safe arrival after a journey which started in Nottingham in England to their final destination here of just under 7 months. They held a Service of Thanksgiving on Mount Mercy on the day of their arrival on 25 July 1820. Services were then held under the trees at John Bradfield's home close by, as well as the home of William Pike in inclement weather until the first Clumber Church was built on Mount Mercy and opened on 28 September 1825. 

When the entire Nottingham Party at Clumber had to abandon the area during the 6th Frontier War, the first Clumber Church, being abandoned, was entered and damaged by the invaders. So, it was decided that a second Church be built, also on Mount Mercy. This second Clumber Church was opened on 31 December 1837. After seeing through the 7th Frontier War, or War of the Axe, in 1846, as well as the 8th Frontier War of 1850, and being a source of refuge during these troubled times, the Church being in a poor state, it was decided to build a third Clumber Church, the current, also on Mount Mercy. This third Clumber Church was opened in 1867.  So, whilst the Clumber Church celebrated its 150th year in 2017, the Word of God has been proclaimed here at Mount Mercy from 25 July 1820.

 The SAHRA Heritage Buildings on the Clumber Precinct 

SAHRA Site Identification 29463 SAHRA Identifier Number 9/2/009/0014